Typographic numbering-machine



A. H. BENHAM.

TYPOGRAPHIC NUMBERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7 I91]- Patented May 6, 1919.

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ALBERT HAROLD BENI-IAM, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

TYPOGRAPHIC NUMBERING-MACHINE.

Application filed. June 7, 1917.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT HAROLD BEN- HAM, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented cer tain new and useful improvements in Typographic Numberin -Machines; and i do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable any person skilled in the art to which the invention appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to printing apparatus and more particularly to typographic numbering machines which are adapted to be locked with type in a chase in a printing press.

In such use, or when used separately, a

machine of this description is subjected to pressure which frequently springs or distorts its supporting frame to such an extent to bind or clamp the moving parts and thus render the machine inoperative. The main object of the invention is to provide a machine of the class described with a simple and convenient construction which will reliably prevent any disabling of the working parts of the machine under the pressure applied when locked in a printing press.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction which will allow the machine to be assembled with type and locked in a printing press and subsequently reversed end for end, or inverted, if found desirable, without unlocking it.

Another object is to provide a convenient construction by means of which the operating parts of the numbering machine are efficiently housed and protected from injury by a casing, and which at the same time provides for the convenient removal of the machine from its casing for cleaning or repair.

These and other objects and advantages will be fully disclosed in the following detailed description of one embodiment of the invention selected by way of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the number ing machine in its casing. V

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same partly broken away to show the means for fastening the numbering machine in its casing.

Specification of Letters Fatent.

Patented. May 6, 1919.

Serial No. 173,421.

Fig. a is an end elevation of the numbering machine removed from its casing.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the outer casing alone.

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the same.

Referring to the drawings, 10 indicates the supporting frame of a common form of numbering machine of the plunger typographical variety, including briefly a plurality of numbering wheels 11 and a plunger head 12, supported in said fram 10. The plunger head 12 projects above the type wheels and is adapted to be depressed in its frame during the printing impression to automatically produce a consecutive setting of the numbering wheels. This type of machine is in common use at the present time and a more detailed description thereof will therefore be unnecessary. V

The frame of this type of numbering machine consists of a base portion 13, and rising from either end thereof are uprights l4- and 15 supporting the shaft on which the numbering wheels are carried, the upright 15 also containing the plunger head 12. Then this numbering machine is locked in a printing press and subjected to pressure, there is a serious tendcncyto spring or distort the frame, thereby clamping or binding the operating parts and preventing the opera tion of the machine.

In order to overcome this defect, and to secure other advantages, there is provided an outer casing 16 for the numbering ma chine, comprising substantially a rectangular box-like frame of rigid construction andof such a size as to fit loosely about the numbering machine. Owing to the loose fit of these parts and the clearance between them, the outer casing 16 may be considerably distorted under pressure in the printing press while the numbering machine itself remains entirely free from any of such pressure, the outer casing therefore serving as a protection for the numbering machine and preserving the latter at all times free from any strain or distortion which might prevent the perfect operation of its parts.

The frame 16 is substantially of the same depth or height as the frame 10 of the numbering machine so that the printing parts of the latter project above the casing and are not interfered with in any way. The casing completely incloses the sides of the numbering machine and thereby effectually protects its parts against interference therewith or injury thereto from projecting parts of other apparatus.

In order to conveniently and reliably retain the numbering machine in its outer casing, the latter is preferably provided at each end with a groove 17 (Fig. and intersecting this groove is cut through the end wall of the casing an opening 18 (Fig. 6). Theo utside of each end wall of the numbering machine is preferably formed with a groove 19 (Fig. 3), in the lower end of which is fastened, by means of a screw 20, the lower .endof a spring plate 21; This spring plate is formed to normally project outwardly of the slot 19 as shown in Fig. 3, and has near its center an outwardly extending portion 22 ofsuch size and shapeas to engage within the opening 18in thewall of the outer casing. The spring plate 21 extends suiiiciently above the casing to enable it to be readily engaged by the thumb or finger in order that it may be pressed back into its slot, thus disengaging the projecting portion 22 from the opening 18 in the casing and permitting the'numbering niachine to be readily removed from the casing. The numbering machine is thus conveniently reached for cleaning, repairing or resetting, after which it may be conveniently reinserted in the outercasing, the projecting portions 22 of the spring plate 21 snapping into the openingsf18 of the casing when the'numbering machine reaches its proper position. WVhen in place the numbering machine is thusheld in a fixed position relative to the outer casing and is maintained in such position during the printing operation, the movement of the plunger head 12 in its frame serving to operate the ratchet mechanism which effects a successively and consecutively setting of the numberin wheels.

It will be apparent'rom the above description that the position ofcthe numbering machine in its outer casing may be freely reversed as the latch or spring plate 21 on each end of the numbering machine is adapt- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the ed to coiiperate equally well with the catch or opening 18 in either end of the outer casing. This is a convenient feature which permits the numbering machine and its casing to be inserted in the press and locked in place without reference to the reading position of the numbering machine, as the latter may be readily removed from its casing and replaced therein in inverted position without unlocking the chase.

Furthermore the means for securing the numbering machine in its casingare soc onstructed and arranged that the numbering machine is freely and fioatingly supported in the casing so that it. cannot bind'or be.- come jammed therein. Means of other construction may of course be provided for, securing the numbering machine in its casing, the means shown herein being a form which has been found simple and convenient in construction and reliable in operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is i i 1, The combination with a numbering machine and its frame, and an eXternal casing therefor in which said machine frame is loosely and removably fitted; of securing devices for effecting floating support of said frame in said casing including a plurality of spring actuated latches on said frame and coeperating catches on said casing.

2. The combination with a numberii gma chine and its frame, and an external casing therefor in which said machine frame is loosely and removably fitted; ofa plurality of manually operative securing means including reversibly coeperating locking parts on said frame and casing, respectively, constructed to hold the frame floatingl-y in the casing and arranged toipermit removalof said frame and itsreinsertion in said casing in a relatively reversed. position. i

A. HAROLD .BENHAM,

Witnesses:

EDWARD N. HOLTON, JOHN E. WADE,

Commissioner of Barents,

Wuhington, D. 0." 

